Between the Shadows
by NyteKnight
Summary: Henry, while on the search for missing persons, encounters another vampire. Things do not go as typically planned.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: This is something I wrote probably back in 2007 or so. I finally found it again and reposted it here.**

* * *

PROLOGUE

The sharp pounding of boots on asphalt broke the stillness of the alley. Damion's lungs screamed for respite, but none was coming. He had only been in town for less then four hours and already someone wanted to kill him. That was a first for Damion Prince. It usually took at least twelve hours before someone wanted him dead and that usually was Nyte. Running away, however, wasn't new for Damion however. After all, he was a child ruffian growing up on the hard streets of Hell's Kitchen. After one hundred and twenty years, he was still the two-bit hood.

Damion leap, catching the fence and hauling himself up and over it. He needed to ditch this guy and fast. The sun would soon rise and he would be up Shits Creek. Glancing left – garages. To his right were the barking guard dogs. "Great," Damion thought. He hated dogs. At least these mutts had the dignity to be dogs – threatening ones at that. Nyte's little yappers were overgrown furry rats. Making noise, trying to break and enter, losing precious time, or dogs – Damion took the dogs.

"Jesus Christ," Damion wheezed, favoring his leg. He hated dogs. But at least his body could take the bites. A mortal would not be dumb enough to attempt to outrun a pack of guard dogs. "But the towheaded vampire was," Damion thought to himself as he took deep breaths, willing his body to return to a calm state.

A footfall behind him made Damion wheel around. "Awww fuck…." Damion faced his pursuer. Proverbial rock and a hard place. The sky was turning pink. Damion, facing death on two counts, laughed softly as Nyte's favorite poem came to mind. "I'll tell you how the sun rose – a ribbon at a time…."


	2. Chapter 2

TWO

Detective Mike Celluci eyed the woman sitting across from him. She was an enigma that was for sure. Normally he would get an accurate "read" on a person after a few minutes of meeting him but this Marie Chevalier was defying all odds. She sat across from him, clad all in black but was almost typical in this day and age. But what was very unusual was the short cloak she wore in what looked to be real mink fur and the sunglasses and hood she wore, even inside the police station. In the ten minutes she'd been there, she had not made any eye contact and very little physical contact. But most of all she made him very uneasy.

"Alright Damion Prince. Date of birth March 16th 1983." Mike blinked as Damion's rap sheet pulled up on the computer. He hit the page down key….and again…and again. Petty theft, disorderly conduct, assault and battery. And this was just in Canada. Ms. Chevalier said he was American. Mike wondered what this boy's sheet there looked like.

Mike looked at the woman. "I'm sorry Ma'am. Someone has to be missing for at least forty-eight hours before you can file a missing persons report. Plus ma'am with this rap sheet, he's more then likely laying low."

Nyte's jaw twitched. "Damion may be a flight risk, but only when he's being accused of something."

Mike's brows shot up. The heavy French accent the woman had earlier was gone. The subtle muscle tensing was not lost on him either. She was angry.

"Alright, I'll humor you. Come back when it's been forty eight hours and I'll file that report."

Nyte took a deep breath. Humor her? How dare he! "Thank you Detective….Celluci." she said as she rose. Nyte stalked off heading for her car. She scheduled one hour for this meeting and it only took ten minutes. Dawn was coming soon and she needed to feed.

* * *

Nyte almost instinctively headed to the bars. Her and Jarrett use to sneak off to Le Havre and drink with the sailors there. Bars and clubs, the rack, as Nyte knew it, was the best place to feed without drawing too much attention.

Nyte had picked a middle-aged man, probably an investment banker trying to reclaim some lost youth. The most likely target that would not to have those new trendy designer drugs in his system. She led him away with a promise of a lifetime.

Henry felt the vampire the moment she entered. He drew away from his meal for the evening, Sasha, and looked around. Finally, by the back wall he spotted her and her target. "There's no accounting for taste." he thought as he watched the two. She drew away and gently guided her meal ticket into a chair, ordering another drink for him. As she started to leave, she caught Henry's gaze.

"Damn local wildlife." Nyte muttered, catching the gaze of Toronto's resident vampire. She decided it was about time to head back to the hotel and rest. She had an appointment tomorrow with a private investigator. If the cops were not willing to help search for a hood, with enough money the PI would.

Henry shook with rage as he shoved through the crowd trying to get to the woman. He recognized her. Hell she and her partner were two of the most notorious vampires around – Nyte Chevalier. And the bitch had the audacity to hunt in his city!


	3. Chapter 3

THREE

Nyte studied the woman across from her carefully. When she made the appointment for the private investigator, she was expecting a Sam Spade type – but not the near-sighted woman sitting on the other side of the desk.

Vicki sighed and took off her classes, rubbing the bridge of her nose. Lately, she noticed her vision was getting worst. More and more things were turning to shadows. She looked at the tiny woman across from her and her translator slash lawyer. At first, she wondered why the woman, Ms. Chevalier, would bring her lawyer with her but as Mrs. Danvers soon explained Ms. Chevalier was some reclusive, if a bit eccentric photographer who only spoke French. Well eccentric, that explained the fur cloak. "This Mr. Prince did he have any enemies? Anyone that would wish him harm?"

Nyte chuckled softly. Lauren Danvers gave her a look before speaking. "Mr. Prince is a trouble maker, but he was careful. Ms. Chevalier is not the one to do things on a whim. She is here because she honestly believes Mr. Prince has met harm." Nyte interrupted her, speaking briefly to Lauren in French. "And she is prepared to pay a thousand dollars per day plus expenses." Lauren continued.

Vicki blinked as Coreen squealed in delight from the other room. A full grand. That was double her usual pay and it was offered. Why was this woman so insistent Damion Prince be found? Vicki was going to find out before she took the case.

There was not an easy way around this. Vicki took the most direct route. "Why are you so insistent that he be found? What is your relationship to him?"

Lauren looked ill for a moment. What was she going to say? Yea he's older then dirt, hasn't aged in centuries and my client wants him around because he's useful to her? Not to mention was her husband….in the 30's! That would go over real well. Lauren wondered why he was useful to Nyte but she learned long ago that the yearly salary of three hundred thousand included keeping one's mouth shut and not asking questions.

It was the form of Nyte that was her salvation. "He…am…my husbin. Ah...ex." Nyte spoke in broken English, heavily accented by French. Nyte spoke perfect unaccented English but she had the Marie Chevalier persona that needed to be maintained.

Vicki's brain translated what the woman said. With English that heavily accented and badly broken; no wonder she spoke through a translator. "Ah ex-husband. Gotcha. Well any photos, phone numbers of friends, list of places he would have visited would be useful."

Lauren dropped a heavy, overly stuffed file on the desk. "His New York rap sheet…" She put another stuffed file on top of that. "His California one." She proceeded to place several more files on top of those, "Georgia, Wyoming, Canada, France, Ireland, Russia…" She paused at one, showing it to Nyte.

"Germany," Nyte spoke with a twist of humor in her voice.

"Germany." Lauren added, placing the last one on the massive pile. She opened another folder and showed the contents to Vicki. "Last known address. The home is owned by my client. List of friends, numbers, the works."

Vicki picked her jaw up from the floor and gaped at the files. He was one bad boy if his rap sheet…no sheets were this long and in half a dozen countries. This was why the grand. "Is he violent?" If Vicki was getting into this, she needed to know the risk to her and Henry.

"Violent…no. Casanova….flirt. Oui." Nyte replied.

"Annoying, hell yes." Lauren replied dryly.

From the doorway, Henry let out something like a growl. His eyes were jet black as he focused on the back of Nyte's head. Vicki looked up, took in Henry's look and her eyes widen just a bit. Great not now. Not when a client was around. Henry shook his head and calmed himself as Nyte glanced over her shoulder, pining Henry with a look promising violence if he blew her cover.

Vicki broke the tense silence, "Ah. My partner, Henry Fitzroy. Mrs. Lauren Danvers, esquire and…"

Henry turned on the charm, "Ms. Marie Chevalier. I'm a fan of your work." He took her hand and kissed it, his eyes locked on Nyte's.

Nyte returned the gaze and for a moment, they were locked in a battle of wills. "Monsieur Fitzroy, enchanté."

"Ms. Chevalier has hired me... us... for a missing person's case. A one mister Damion Prince."

Henry nodded before addressing both Nyte and Lauren, "Well if he's in Toronto, we'll find him."

Vicki let out a long breath. "Well I'll poke around and call you when I have something." She stood and extended her hand. First Lauren took it but Nyte hesitated. Finally, when she did, her hand was ice cold and Vicki was struck with a very uneasy feeling.

Nyte and the mortal had just gotten into a car when Henry exploded. "You're working for a vampire?! Victoria do you have any idea what kind of danger you've placed yourself in." Henry never raised his voice above his usual tone, but what was not said spoke volumes. He was upset and Vicki was struck with a sudden realization.

"The vampire hunting in the city. That's her." She said quietly.

"No. That's the vampire hunting in the city," Henry pointed to the picture of Damion Prince. "And Ms. Chevalier is his partner in crime."

"No wonder she offered you double….some vampire love triangle revenge thing…." Coreen said from the doorway. "Way cool."

"She's not taking the case," Henry cut Coreen off.

"I'm taking the case," Vicki added. "And you're helping me. So I'm hired by a vampire, looking for a vampire…what better way to solve it, by having a vampire work it." She ignored Henry's look of annoyance.

* * *

Nyte smiled at the phone rang. She was waiting for this call. She had opened the blinds to look out over the city lights, ordered some wine from room service and had settled down in bed waiting for the one call that would make her night better.

"Hello sweetie…" Nyte purred into the phone.

"Heya Darlin'. Thing's go alright?" Axel asked. Nyte did not sound upset, which was a good thing.

"Been better. Could have been better. Was going great till the city's resident vampire walked in and almost blew it to bits." Nyte vented just a little bit. She was tired from traveling but she needed to hear her husband's voice before bed.

"Aww Darlin' Do you want me there?"

"Where are you anyways? Connection's horrible. Dresden?" Nyte pulled the blanket around her a bit more.

"Ceret. Oh by the way, you're gonna be an aunt again. Hey listen, storms commin' through. I have a few more places to look then I'll meet ya there. Try to stay out of trouble Marie...I mean it." Axel had to put that bit of warning in there. He had pulled her out of the frying pan a few times since they met and he knew Nyte had a much longer history of stirring up trouble wherever she went.

"Nose is clean. Promise. J'adore Toby." They said their goodbyes and Nyte hung up. So her sister was pregnant again. Nyte smiled to herself. She and Axel would vacation there once the baby was born. She closed the drapes and soon drifted off to a peaceful sleep. Tomorrow night, she hoped, would bring more answers to this damn mystery.

The crowd was cheering. Nyte leaned against the fence watching the cowboy hatted crowed cheered her husband on. Nyte thought he was crazy but she was no less proud of him. "Hat looks good on ya squirt," a voice said from her right. Nyte looked over to see Axel's brother standing there. She self-consciously smoothed her unruly curls from under her cowboy hat.

She nodded towards the bull in the chute. "Tornado favors the left and Toby's shoulder has been giving him some grief. I offered superglue but he frowned at me." She watched as her husband pulled himself up on the angry bull's back. The crowd was clapping and hollering as the chute was opened and the bull bucked to his right, trying to dislodge the rider on its back. The cheering continued a constant clapping with a very distinct timing.

Nyte growled as she realized it was not a cheering crowd but someone knocking….no pounding on the door. "Alright, let's get this damn thing over with shall we?" She threw on her robe and padded silently over to the door. As expected, Henry Fitzroy was there and he was far from happy. The moment Nyte opened the door a crack, he had her slammed against the wall, feet dangling, pinned there by a firm hand on her throat.


	4. Chapter 4

FOUR

Axel growled lightly as he carefully navigated the dirt road. He had checked the last place Damion would have hid – Nyte's home in the mountains of southern France. The only thing left for him was to navigate down the dirt road then hit the airport in Marseille for his flight to Toronto. It would be sunrise by the time he arrived and Nyte dead asleep, but at least she would have some back up. Another vampire in the city worried him. He had remembered what happened to Nyte last time she encountered another of her kind with a territorial streak. It was in Europe – Pest to be exact and he had gone back to Wyoming. They had fought and when she walked out, he had left for the states. The phone connection was terrible – Nyte was on a payphone, but the pain in her voice was heart wrenching. She had only been able to say a few words when the connection cut out. It was all Axel needed. He was out on the next flight and found her collapsed in her hotel room. It took her a few days to heal and Nyte never spoke about what happened. All he knew was that she encountered a vampire that was not thrilled that she was in his hunting grounds and she got the short end of it. He was not going to let that happen again. Besides he had one advantage the vampire did not – he had no problems with sunlight.

* * *

Nyte continued to look down at Henry Fitzroy with a bored look on her face.

"Not even going to beg for your life?" Henry growled. He will first try intimidation and if that failed, he was not above killing.

"Oh please don't kill me. Please spare my life," Nyte said in a voice that was decidedly not begging and quite patronizing. In fact, Nyte was completely relaxed as if being held by her throat was a common day occurrence. Disgusted, Henry let her go. Intimidation was not going to work.

Nyte may have been relaxed to the eye but her muscles were ready – waiting in anticipation for the moment, he relaxed his stance. She grabbed the sword she conveniently left there. Convenient her ass. Nyte had things planned, why else would she let the vampire into the room in the first place. Now Henry was at a disadvantage with the business end of a rather sharp cutlass pressing against the side of his throat. Nyte, too, was not above killing. "I don't want your territory. In fact, I'd rather not be in this city at all but someone I care about has disappeared and I'm starting to wonder if you had any part in it."

"No I did not. Could you…." Henry asked, eyeing her carefully. She was fast enough to get the drop on him, meaning she was fairly close in age. It would be a close fight if it came to that. He gestured to the sword at his throat.

"No I can't." Nyte pressed the sword closer, enough to cause a flutter of pain as it broke the skin. Just enough to remind him of his mortality. "Where is he?"

"I don't know."

Nyte considered things. The tone of his voice was honest. "Does your partner know what you are and what this case entails?"

"Yes. I trust Vicki. You hired her and she'll do her job."

Nyte considered things. Blood was so hard to get out of carpet. She slowly lowered the sword but did not fully relax her guard. "Alright. There's gonna only be one way to do this…..I don't hunt in the city, I'll go across the border if you like, and you don't kill me…or Damion when we finally find his ass."

Henry studied her face, searching for any signs of duplicity. "Agreed."


	5. Chapter 5

FIVE

The first thing Axel did when he landed was to check on his wife. Nyte was sound asleep. She had been expecting him. She had left him a detailed note outlining what happened as well as the name and address of the investigator she hired.

Axel double checked the address on the paper and knocked. A pretty brunette in a corset was sitting behind the desk, open books spread over every surface.

"Do you have an appointment with Vicki?" she asked, giving him a once over and instantly dismissed him.

Axel self-consciously adjusted his hat. He glanced to the books – vampires.

"My…" Toby started to say Nyte hired this Vicki but he was cut off by Vicki coming from her office. "Coreen, did you get those number traces yet?" She then noticed the tall cowboy. "Victoria Nelson."

Axel hesitated a moment, noticing the marks on Vicki's wrists. She had been branded by a demon. He decided not to drag Nyte into his troubles by revealing to Vicki what he was. "Axel Sheppard….New York PD. I have a warrant for the arrest of Damion Prince…once he's found. He's being prosecuted for murder in New York City." If Vicki checked on his story, she would be redirected to DA Sam Wright – all cases concerning Prince were and Axel knew Sam would vouch for any story Axel gave.

Thinking Axel was a cop investigating a murder with rap sheets longer then most novels, Vicki was quite forthcoming with the information. Axel did not even have to try any of his whammies, as Nyte called them. The information she gave was not very helpful however. Damion arrived on a Friday for a meeting and disappeared sometime that night. The meeting turned out to be a bust – a lure to get him here but so far there was no leads. Axel was able to answer a few questions Nyte had neglected to volunteer and Vicki once again promised to call later with information should she find any.

* * *

"Something wrong?" Axel arched a brow watching Nyte swirl her wine glass. He had taken her out for a quiet dinner date at a well-recommended Italian restaurant. Something was bothering her if all she was doing was playing with her food.

"Hmmm? Oh…just bothered." Nyte gently set the glass down. "Damion's disappeared and part of my mind was wandering. Thinking the reason they can't find him is because his luck finally ran out and someone whacked him." Her voice had a slight crack to it.

"If he was dead Marie, you'd know it. Hell even I'd know it and Sam….."

"Sam would be celebrating yes. I know that but…I just hate not knowing."

Axel reached out and gently caressed her cheek with a rough thumb. "Can't do or know everything Marie. You'll kill yourself trying to and you know it."

Nyte sipped at the wine, more to appease him if nothing else, as Axel explained what he told Vicki. They needed to make sure their stories worked together.

"You use Sheppard or Chevalier?" Axel asked. Nyte usually used her married name but for her photography, she used Chevalier exclusively. Her first magazine layout after the wedding let to a huge debate among the photography community wither or not Marie Sheppard was the same woman as Marie Chevalier or simply a knock off. Nyte was not very happy and since then had stuck to using Chevalier for her work. Hell Chevalier was not even her real name. She took her sire's name when he died. Her real family name long ago died out, victim of Lady Guillotine.

"Chevalier. I called Lauren in as well."

"Broken English recluse then?"

Nyte chuckled softly, "Oui. I left the ring on but it was probably missed. See the marks? It might be better if they didn't think we were together. Whole demon thingy…"

Axel frowned. He was not keen on the idea but Nyte was right. "If I think you're in danger, I'll be right there."

"Wouldn't expect you not to be." Nyte took his hand in hers.

After they finished their dinners, Axel walked Nyte to the parking lot. "Where'd ya park?" he asked, looking around for her rental.

"Around the corner."

"Alright I'll walk ya."

Nyte slipped her hand around her husband and Axel drew her close. She was so tiny she fit right against him.

"Oh crap," Nyte, said as the neared her car, which was still across the street. Three cars ahead, Henry and Vicki were getting out of Henry's Jag. Nyte broke apart from her husband, jangling the keys in her hands as she headed to her car.

"Ms. Chevalier I still have some more questions for you…." Axel called after her, falling into that cop ruse.

Nyte paused in the street, "Detective Sheppard, I've already given my statement. Speak to my lawyer." Nyte spoke perfect English but with the accent. She did not have time to do both; she was flying by the seat of her pants. Did Vicki and her vamp guard dog find something so soon?

"I could subpoena you Ms. Chevalier," Axel yelled after her as Vicki and her companion hung back, watching.

"Damn" Nyte knew she had to wrap this up fast. Another reason for the cop and witness ploy was sooner or later either Axel or she would forget they were acting as strangers and would slip up. A darlin' here, a sweetheart there, and it would be all over. "Talk to the French Consulate then…." Nyte yelled back at she crossed the street.

Henry saw the demon. Other vampires he could tolerate, not easily but he could manage. But a demon in the city, he would not... Within a span of milliseconds, Henry had Axel by his throat, snarling a warning. "Be gone demon."

Nyte growled, swearing in French, Gaelic, and Russian as she turned on her heels and made it back across the street, shoving Henry against the wall hard. "Mine" she snarled. Axel dusted himself off, eyes on Nyte and the vampire. He never quite understood the whole territorial thing but he knew Nyte was not above killing to protect her own.

"Will you two check the whole snarling thing at the door." Vicki snapped as she collapsed her baton. Her vision only allowed her to see shades of what happened. Chevalier started to cross the street. Henry growled and disappeared from her side, to attack a demon…

"He's a demon, Victoria," Henry said looking to Nyte and Axel. Axel had drawn his arm around his wife protectively the moment he was on his feet.

"Isn't that right Mr. and Mrs. Sheppard?" Henry said as he turned to Nyte, "You really shouldn't be photographed with your husband if you want to be able to continue this ruse….Nyte."

Nyte was irked but looked at her husband, "Wow he can read." She looked at Henry, "Now did you learn that this century or back when you still had a pulse?" She topped it off with a smirk.

Henry shot one back at her, "Son of a king, private tutors. And you learn to speak English this century or in the dark ages?"

Nyte glanced up at her husband. Well now, she was impressed. "Lady-in-Waiting. Private tutors."

Vicki interrupted, "Mrs. Walsh's first grade…hate to interrupt this little…thing, but can we please take this to somewhere less…conspicuous?"

* * *

Nyte started to pace like a cage animal in Vicki's office. She could not stay still.

"Marie sit down. You've already worn a path in our living room." Axel watched his wife, taking in every little non-verbal cue even the suppressed ones.

Nyte stopped in her pacing and sighed, "I did not wear a hole in the living room." She threw up her hands, exasperated and sat next to her husband on the couch.

"Alright. Let me see if I have things strait. You're a vampire and he's a…" Vicki started to say.

"Demon yes" Nyte finished with an exasperated eye roll. She wanted to be out hunting, not sitting.

"And you're married. This Damion Prince is a vampire as well and he's now missing.

Nyte was back on her feet, looking at Vicki. "You're mortal. Tell me….what would you do if the doctor's told you that you had incurable cancer or a loved one had an incurable disease and was going to die a hideous death. How far would you go to cheat death?"

Vicki stuttered a moment, taken aback by the question. "Not to kill if that's what you're getting at."

Nyte simply shrugged. "Immortality is a very powerful lure and to the fearful mind, an irresistible drug. Vampires are known to be immortal. We don't age; we cannot die of natural causes. Seemingly able to suspend time. Wouldn't be the first time someone tried to cheat death, just as Elizabeth Bathory."

"Yea but she was walled up alive." Vicki replied, "So why this elaborate ruse and the changing names?"

"Would you honestly have taken the case if I walked up and said, "Hi I'm a vampire, I need help finding another vampire and oh by the way a demon is on his way to help us out?" Nyte looked at her, "And the names…Marie is my Christian…given name. I only use it professional. However, I got tired of explaining that my name was Nyte because my parents were hippies and smoked too much Purple Haze in the 60s." Nyte sighed and sat on her husband's lap.

"So where are we with the whole Damion mess? A Draugr makes sense if Vampires are disappearing." She noticed Vicki's blank look. "Um…draugr is a…I guess ghoul would be the best term. Kinda like Renfield in Dracula."

Henry elaborated, "Leech is another term. A mortal who drinks vampire blood." He looked at Nyte. "Exactly how old are you?" She had used a term at least two hundred years out of date.

Nyte cocked her head to one side, thinking about it. "Um...two hundred thirty five."

"Marie Antoinette then. The queen you were a lady to was Marie Antoinette." Henry looked at her, a bit surprised. The way she dealt with him, he would have thought she was at least four hundred.

"Yea. Though I was kinda….dead…before the Revolution started. Died July 14th 1789. Or so says history." Nyte gently rested against her husband.

"The Bastille must make for an excellent cover story when someone wants to disappear after becoming a vampire." Vicki said, looking up from reviewing Damion's file. Now that the information was falling in place, she was not very keen on leaving a vampire to be used like that.

"Makes an excellent cover story when one wants to run away with their lover, yes. Now as I was saying, sick bastard draining vamps trying to stay young. Vampire missing. Now without any leads or any idea who is behind this…..how do we go about this whole mess?"


	6. Chapter 6

SIX

Mike knelt down besides the sheet-covered body. It was found just a few hours ago lying in an alley steps from a popular underground club. But this was not some club-goer ODed on drugs; this body had been intentionally mutilated in order to hide its identity. After twelve years working homicide, the sight of a body missing its head and hands no longer made him queasy. He just wanted to get the bastard that did this, bring them to justice. The body was male and on the surface, it looked like a drug trade gone bad, but he would have to wait for the preliminary blood work before starting the investigation.

* * *

Nyte's pacing grew almost to the point of frantic as dawn grew near. Axel finally handed over the car keys and shoved her in the direction of the car, with a shake of his head.

"She always like that?" Vicki asked, watching the vampire all but dash to the car from the window.

"Yes and no. Vampires descended from Josephine Chevalier are notorious for the inability to stay in one place for long. Sometimes she's better, sometimes she's worst." Axel replied watching Nyte pull away. "This is actually one of her better moments considering the circumstances." He turned to face Vicki. "Nyte may come across as flighty but she's extremely loyal. She's known that pain in the ass for over a century and come hell or high water, she'll do anything to find him or his body." Axel added that as an afterthought. So far, the trail for Damion Prince was ice cold.

"I take it you don't like him" Vicki asked.

"He's an arrogant cocky son of a bitch. But he's my wife's arrogant cocky son of a bitch."

* * *

The blond vampire snarled at his captor as he was shoved to his knees. The bastard had bled him again. His ribcage burned as if on fire, but Damion would not give his captor the satisfaction of hearing him cry out. He was less then subhuman; lower then the slime growing on river rocks in Damion's mind. Eventually, someone would realize he was missing and come asking questions. Right now, he just had to wait him out.

* * *

"Are you certain about this?" Mike asked, looking at the report Mohadevan dropped in front of him.

"It's nothing I'll elaborate on in my official report, but yes I am very certain." She replied. "That's the second body with the same markers this week."

Mike sighed. Two dead vampires. Great.

"Thanks"

Mohadevan nodded her thanks and left.

* * *

Nyte was on edge and had been since she woke up. She had been alternating between pacing around Vicki's office like a caged animal to literally jumping every time she heard a car door. Currently she was looking out of a window, arms crossed, and her body tension speaking volumes about her state. She was itching to do…something. Anything.

"Hey Vicki, think Henry knows anything about the two dead vampires we have down in the morgue?" Mike announced as he came into her office, completely oblivious to the woman at the window.

Nyte turned suddenly, wheeling on her heels, "Two dead? Any ID?"

Mike blinked seeing the woman. He could have sworn a minute ago that she was not there. She looked familiar as well. His brain searched and finally made the connection. He looked to Vicki, "Where did she come from?"

"Been standing here all night detective. Now you said you have two bodies. How do you know they are vampires and were you able to identify either one?" Nyte quickly took charge.  
Mike just continued to gape at the small woman.

Nyte sighed heavily and looked to Vicki, "Why do I think I have to do this the hard way?"

"He's just getting use to the whole vampire thing. Um Mike…." Vicki snapped her fingers in front of Mike.

"How did you appear like that?" Mike asked.

Nyte rolled her eyes. "Magic ok? I can perform magic now were you able to identify either of the two bodies?"

"No….they were…." He started to say they were decapitated and their heads removed but he remembered Ms. Chevalier had came to Toronto searching out a missing persons and if she was a vampire, chances are the person she was looking for was one too. "Left in such a way that dental and fingerprints were….unusable."

"Show me." Nyte snapped. She had to know. She did not need dental imprints or fingerprints to know if one of those bodies were Damion. She would just know.

* * *

"I have to warn you, the bodies were mutilated beyond recognition." Dr. Mohadevan said as she led Nyte, Vicki, and Mike into the sterile morgue. To Mike's surprise Nyte had police photographer credentials across the border. When this was all over, he was going to do a bit of background digging into this woman.

Mohadevan pulled back the sheet from the first victim's torso. Vicki shot a look to Nyte who simply shook her head. The body was not Damion's. Mohadevan moved to the second body.

"Mon Dieu!" Nyte cried out as her knees suddenly went out from under her.


	7. Chapter 7

SEVEN

Axel knelt down, dipping his fingers into the puddle. "Oil. Damn." He had half been hoping it was blood. Blood meant a trail they could follow. Nothing meant nothing. He stood, brushing his hands off on his jeans.

Henry was still, listening. His sensitive hearing picked up only city sounds – people, cars honking, dogs parking.

* * *

Nyte recovered just as quickly as she broke down. By the time Mohadevan and Vicki had reached her, she was pulling herself up to full height, taking deep calming breaths. "Well that's one John Doe with a name now." She stepped back from the body, still breathing deeply to re-center herself.

"Damion Prince?" Mike asked, watching the vampire pace quietly. One moment she was very emotional and in less, then an eye blink she had pulled up a mask.

"No. Marcellus…..um gawd…Boyle I think he was using. Yea…chose it after watching the Exorcist."

"Vampire with a sense of humor?" Mike asked wearily.

Vicki opened her mouth to cut Mike off but Nyte beat her to it, her eyes flashing. "You think we can't have normal personalities? Feel the whole range of human emotions? We may be dead…ish but some of us are very much alive inside. Can you deny some of you mortals feel dead inside? Happens when you loose touch with the world. I may be five thousand years-old but I don't feel a day over two hundred."

Mike stuttered. Five thousand?!

Nyte cocked a slight smile and winked at Vicki. "That was one hell of a rainstorm too." Nyte was going to have fun with the good detective. She was not too fond of him to start with and he had some serious issues with vamps.

"You're full of shit." Mike growled under his breath.

Nyte just winked at him before loosing the grin. "I'll have Marcellus' file sent to you from New York. He's a buddy of Damion's which isn't boding very well."  
Nyte looked at Mohadevan, "I trust none of this is going to be in any report right?"

"You'll never hear it from me….John Doe no longer John Doe. Unusual blood type. Cause uncertain. Cause of death…decapitation." Mohadevan added. She had met Henry and Vicki saw it fit to fill her in on his secret. After all, she helped with the whole Mendoza nightmare.

* * *

"I'm sorry about Mike…he's" Vicki started as they headed towards Nyte's car.  
"He was your lover t one time and he's still madly in love with you but jealous of Henry and your closeness with him so he's being an asshole…" Nyte finished for her. She had experienced people like that before in her life.

"Is this some vampire thing? You die and all of a sudden you gain this knowledge of the world?" Vicki snapped. Nyte pretty much summed up Mike's whole problem.

"No. It's just when you live this long you become a good judge of human character." Nyte seemed distracted for a moment. "We're not endowed with any special knowledge of the universe. We just muddle through life like everyone else does." Nyte seemed like she wanted to say more but her cell phone cut her off.

"Finally" She muttered.

* * *

Axel ran his hand through his hair and adjusted his hat as his wife updated him. "So Plan X then?" This one was Nyte's idea and he fought her tooth and nail on this but other then resorting to darker magics, which Nyte refused to be part of, there was not any better way. He asked her to be careful before hanging up.

"Plan X?" Henry asked with a slight smile. They barely had a plan A and now they were going with their last resort.

* * *

"Plan X then." Nyte sighed. This was not her best idea but it would work if the bait were taken. "How far is High Park from here?" Nyte asked Vicki.

* * *

Nyte and Vicki walked on the deserted running trails. Vicki insisted on her baton, though Nyte did remind her that her night vision was more then enough for the both of them. Nyte could not imagine what it was like to be Vicki. Having to give up your career because you were going blind, knowing one day you would wake up and the world you knew is suddenly gone, hidden behind a haze of darkness. She hated having to place Vicki in danger, but it was too widely known that Nyte Chevalier was overly paranoid.

Nyte paused hearing breathing. "Showtime" she thought. Nyte looked over at Vicki, on guard with just a metal baton. "Vicki run!" Nyte snarled at her, eyes flashing black. She could not put her in danger.

Vicki started to protest when Nyte was slammed down to the ground. Nyte struggled with her attacker, trying to get a good hold on him. "Run dammit!" Nyte felt a sharp prick in her shoulder. "Fuck" she muttered as she fell to the ground with a thud.


	8. Chapter 8

EIGHT

Axel stared at the computer screen. He hated these things but this was the only way Nyte could be tracked. Nyte had stopped.

"GPS?" Henry asked looking over his shoulder. Apparently, Plan X was to use Nyte as bait and track her. Not the best plan but at least it had a chance of succeeding.

"Nyte's phone. Prince installed the chip. Use to have one in her car until she found it and mailed it back to him smashed to pieces. I'm surprised she left this one. Alright, they've stopped." Axel grabbed the laptop and started to leave.

"They've?!" Henry snarled. No way did that woman drag Vicki into this bad plan.

* * *

"Run dammit!" Nyte snarled. Vicki watched as Nyte fell. She jumped into action and lunged at the attacker, nailing him across the head with her baton. The man wheeled on Vicki and tossed her like a rag doll against a tree.

Nyte struggled as she tried to regain consciousness. Her cell phone slipped from her limp hand and fell to the grass.

* * *

Vicki groaned, pushing herself up to her elbows. She was getting tired of this game. She fumbled around in the darkness, searching for her glasses. "Vicki" Henry said, gently helping her to her feet.

"Missed all the fun. I had them shaking in their boots." Vicki quipped, adjusting her glasses. She looked around for Nyte but did not see her.

Axel was kneeling in the grass, clutching Nyte's cell phone in his hand. The plastic casing protested under the abuse. He growled, barely able to restrain his temper. He knew this was a bad plan.

"She's gone." Henry said, shooting a glare towards Axel. He knew Nyte intended to place Vicki, a mortal, in danger and did nothing to stop his. He growled low in his throat, his eyes flashing a dangerous black. "You knew Vicki was with her."

Axel stood and wheeled around, his own eyes flashing a deep red. "Two of the most stubborn women on earth….the plan failed." He growled, crushing the cell phone in his hand. He kept his ground, his muscles tense.

Henry's body mirrored Axel's. For a moment, there was a standoff. Vicki sighed and placed her baton between the two of them. "Psycho mortal draining vampires remember?"

Axel snarled at Vicki, throwing down the remains of the phone and stalked off into the night. He had to find his wife.

* * *

Nyte snarled and struggled against her captor. Her system was still fighting off the powerful drugs, but its effect on her was fading fast. She felt herself shoved backwards, down on something hard. She growled as leather straps restrained her hands and feet. Nyte snarled, bearing her fangs at the man who inserted a needle into the crook of her arm. It burned but Nyte was not going to give him the satisfaction of hearing her scream.

On the other side of the room, Damion threw himself against his own restraints. The asshole was bleeding Nyte. He himself had been here about a week but he did not know how much longer he was going to be able to hold out without loosing complete control and descending into madness. Nevertheless, he sure as hell was not going to leave Nyte behind.

* * *

"What the hell was that about?" Vicki suddenly exploded at Henry. "Every vampire to himself? After what Mendoza did, you go and leave someone, another of your kind to that same fate?"

Henry looked up from his latest graphic novel. Vicki had remained quiet on the ride back to his home, but he knew it would not last long. "You could have been hurt….or killed." He stated simply.

"Every time I go out I risk getting hurt or killed. I was a cop or have you forgotten that?" She sighed. Anger would not work but perhaps another way would. "Look..what if it was Christina? Who would you put at risk to rescue her?"

"I wouldn't." Henry said coldly.

"What if it were me?" Vicki asked quietly. Henry glanced up quickly but did not answer. He continued to work on his drawing. Vicki would wait him out. He sighed and put the pencil down.

"Alright…." He checked his desk clock. "It's almost sunrise. We'll start again after sunset." Henry sighed. Vicki had a point. He would do anything; kill anyone, if she was the one in danger.

"Good. I'll call Mike to see if he has anything new."

* * *

Mike slammed his fist into the brick wall. Another body found. A woman this time. The cop part of him wanted to catch the bastard doing this. However, that little voice inside of him reminded him that these bodies were all vampires. Creatures that feed off the helpless and innocent…like Vicki. The police commissioner was up for re-election and a serial killer running loose in Toronto was not very good for the image. Mike and his department were feeling the pressure. He was searching for a monster hunting monsters. But Mike remembered Mendoza. He remembered the screams of that woman, Delphine, as the suns rays hit her. Mendoza was the true monster then and now someone was doing the same.

* * *

The man fidgeted nervously in the doctor's office. The test results were back, everything he had done, everyone he killed, waited on these results.

The doctor looked up from the folder as he entered the room. "I can't explain it. Your white cell counts are normal. The cancer cells have disappeared from your bloodstream." He shook his head, astonished at the test results in front of him. "I'm not a religious man but if you continue with this remission. I'd have to say it was a miracle."

The man simply smiled. So the treatments were working.


	9. Chapter 9

NINE

Nyte bit her lower lip, stifling a moan. Damion, outclassing both her and their captor in size, was putting up more of a fight. Nyte, however barely reaching a height of 4'8" was a much more manageable captive. Their captor was a middle-aged man, a bit on the portly side. By himself, he could not be much of a threat but infused with vampire blood, he was able to overpower both Damion and Marcellus. She was growing weaker. Both her arms and legs were covered in bruises from the needles. There was no offer of sustenance in sight. She was one of three being kept. Nyte did not recognize the other but then again she did not know most vampires by name either. His will was broken. Nyte knew he would not have long. Unlike Damion and herself, he had accepted his fate. Nyte's independent streak kept her going but soon that would fade.  
She was roughly tossed back into the cell. Nyte managed to weakly lift her head and snarl at the man. Damion pulled her into his lap, gently brushing her hair back in effort to calm and support her. Nyte was the brains and intimidation of the relationship. He was the brawn. She was not much of a threat physically but in top form, she could and would do a number on you mentally. He would get her out of her.

* * *

Axel stared at the map set out before him. He concentrated his search outside the city limits. The police were searching for the missing persons in the city, so he would cover the outskirts.

He looked up at a shadow fell over him. Vicki wordlessly handed him some coffee as she sat across from him, peering at the map. "No luck?" she asked.

Axel eyed her suspiciously. He did not trust many people to start with and now that his wife was missing, he was not in the mood for idle chat.

"Henry has this thing…a mirror…" Vicki started.

Axel cut her off. "I'm familiar with it. Demon remember…" His gaze shifted to the marks on her wrist.

Vicki shifted self-consciously, "Asteroth."

Axel simply nodded but did not elaborate. "It links you to him."

Vicki changed the subject, "Axel doesn't seem like a name for a demon…."

"If you know a demon's true name, it's earlier to control them." Axel sighed and folded the map. "This Henry thinks he can locate Marie?"

Vicki nodded, "He's used it once before. This guy, real looser, was trying to raise Asteroth for his own gain. We found him….and put a stop to it." She waited for Axel to reply, to comment but he did not. "Where'd you meet her?" Vicki changed the subject once again to one that he maybe would speak of.

Axel leaned back, caught up in the memory for a moment. "Nevada I think. Maybe California. My brother, the bane of Nyte's existence, asked me to watch over a mutual friend. Nyte was there."

"Love at first sight?"

Axel chuckled. "Not quite. She shoved a knife in my face and threatened to emasculate me. Wasn't until Dresden till she started to warm up. She threw a hairbrush that time. We've been married 'bout 5 years now."

Vicki laughed a bit. "Alright. Henry should be awake soon. You're driving."

* * *

Axel looked around the apartment. Richly decorated, something Nyte would like but too much for him. He was a simple man.

"Ready," Henry said, finishing his preparation. He hated using Dark Magic, but Vicki felt it was necessary.

Nyte's image shimmered in the mirror. She was still, her eyes closed, head resting on Damion's lap. Damion was speaking to her. He looked a great deal worst than Nyte.

Henry concentrated on studying the environment. It had cinderblock walls and a metal door. A cell of some type. Very utilitarian, yet strangely familiar.

"Military installation?" Axel asked. It pained him to see Nyte that pale.

Vicki thought about any places in the metro Toronto area that may resemble that. "No…Whiteman airport. Closed about ten years ago but the buildings still remain."

Axel pulled out his map. "Show us."

* * *

The man grabbed Nyte off the gurney and roughly threw her to the floor of the cell. He was getting less blood from her now and more resistance from her companion. Her usefulness had ended.


	10. Chapter 10

TEN

Axel watched Nyte closely from his vantage point. She was still, resting he could tell by the way she was laying. Good, she was conserving her strength. He had broken in too easy, in his opinion. The man was alone. Henry was on the other side of the building. Vicki was probably finding her own way in. Henry had insisted she stay in the car but Vicki protested. After a brief battle of wills, she gave in or gave the appearance of giving in. Axel knew better. Henry probably did as well.

The man fretted and paced. Before when he disposed of his subjects, they'd already been dead. These were not. Pushing thoughts of cold-blooded murder aside, he looked to the subject on the table. Male number nine. Damion, he heard the woman call him. The man removed the collection needle from his arm. Less then half a pint this time. He needed to dispose of these bodies and procure some fresh ones.

He looked to his third subject. Male number eight. He threw Damion down in the cell. He was stronger, his body healing, but he wasn't cured yet. He needed more treatments. When he was cured, his wife would come back to him, he told himself. She was afraid of death, that is why she left him. She'd come back when he was well.

A scent caught Nyte's attention. She lifted her head, eyes riveted on an air vent. She could smell her husband and the others, the young vampire and the mortal. From what she could gather about their surroundings, they were underground. A hidden bunker in a large airplane hanger. The whole thing reeked of The Great War where citizens were left to find inadequate shelter in case of bombing raids and government officials spent millions digging well built bomb shelters to ride out the raid. Survival of the wealthiest, she mused.

Nyte watched the man as he tossed Damion down and grabbed the shackles on the other prisoner. The man caught Nyte's gaze. She frightened him. The way she watched him, with judgment in her eyes. Who was she to judge him. She was immortal. He was dying….like Diana. His daughter was only nineteen, going off to college when she was killed. She had the most amazing green eyes. This woman's eyes. Deciding then and there, he released male number eight and went over to this woman. He couldn't have Diana's eyes mocking him any longer. The pain was too much.

He had already taken her blood today, but he would drain her. She'd die on her own then he would dispose of the body. He was not a murderer. He was simply disposing of already dead bodies. Nyte curled her lip back into a snarl and made a half-attempted lunge for him. As expected, the man panicked and loosened his hold on her for a moment.

As Nyte kept the man's attention turned towards her, Axel loosened the grate. He nodded once, slipping down to the floor. He let his control a bit, looking truly of stuff nightmares are made of.

The man struggled with Nyte. The gleam in her eyes and that damn smile frightened him. She shoved him back, mustering up strength he wasn't think she was capable of. He stumbled back into…into a body. Trembling, he looked back…and screamed.

Nyte turned away. She didn't want to see what was to come. Henry was soon at her side, making short work on her bonds. Out of her peripheral vision, she could see Vicki working on the lock to Damion. "Thank you." She whispered, mentally calming herself. She was starving and there was blood in the room.

Henry nodded, noticing the subtle change. "Go, I'll clean up. My territory, my responsibility." He said. Nyte nodded softly and looked up at her husband.


	11. Chapter 11

EPILOGUE

Axel looked out over the sky, strumming his guitar. The sun had set an hour before, but Nyte was still asleep. Damion left the first moment he could on a train back to New York. He and Nyte were good friends, but part of that friendship was knowing when one should walk away from the other. Nyte would recover fully, Damion as well. The other vampire had perished before sunrise. After spending the day searching, he had a name for the man. A one mister William Atkins, diagnosed with terminal lymphoma. Mortal with a short, fragile mortal life. Glancing to the bedroom door, he wondered briefly how many people Nyte had watched die, her family, her friends. He too had watched people slip away while he went on living. Painful but a part of life..for both of them.

A knock pulled him out of his reverie. He blinked as he opened the door. It was Vicki. "Um…come in…." He wondered why she was there. "Nyte's…still…"

"Nyte's right here." Nyte stood in the doorway to the bedroom, hair still wet from the shower. "I called her before sunrise Toby."

Vicki glanced between the two, suddenly uneasy. Nyte looked on the mend, but the look in her eye she had the night before still chilled Vicki. Nyte broke the spell by walking over to the table and handing her an envelope. "Your fee. You did find Damion after all. I trust you won't go running to the tabloids…" Nyte had a bit of a smirk on her lips.

"Not a chance. Padded cells are hard to conduct business from." Vicki relaxed a bit at Nyte's smirk. If she betrayed this woman, she'd be betraying Henry as well. That is if anyone believed her.

She thanked Nyte and headed out into the night where Henry was waiting for her. Vampires are not such a bad lot after all.


End file.
